Wrong Way Crashes Often Caused By DUI

KTLA reports on a deadly wrong-way crash that claimed the lives of 2 people and injured three others.

Intoxication is thought to be behind a deadly crash that killed two people and injured three others on the 5 Freeway in Sylmar. The crash happened just before 3:25 a.m. on Friday, December 28th in the northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway transition to the 14 Freeway.

Both the driver and the passenger in the vehicle driving the wrong way were pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect car was a 1998 Honda Accord. The Honda was headed south in the northbound fast lanes when it crashed into a 2017 Ford Mustang. The collision caused the Mustang to be pushed forward into a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The driver of the Malibu suffered from minor injuries.

Neither the name of the driver nor the passenger that died in the accident has been released.

Most DUI arrests begin when a police officer notices something that causes them to pull a driver over for suspicion of driving under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put together a list of cues that indicate a driver may be intoxicated. Most police are trained to look for cues on this list. Police will notice a person that is having trouble maintaining their lane or position. They will also notice if a driver is having issues with speed – going too fast or too slow – and will also notice any braking problems. Driving the wrong way and failing to use headlights or a turn signal are examples of vigilance problems that may clue cops in.